Travelers
History Pre-Collapse In the further reaches of time, a distant future where such technologies as intergalactic travel have been mastered, the universe as we know it stands united. Countless species had been exterminated for opposing their intergalactic overlords, bringing this empire under the rule of one empire and one race. An age of prosperity unlike any other has been achieved, where even across such vast distances the military seldom sees use. Even psychic powers, something we see as impossible, became but another pursuit quickly mastered. The mastery of the material world extended in all directions, with little left to discover but what was perceived as impossible. Yet, despite this seeming perfection, something was amiss. Across one of the furthest outposts, stretching numerous light-years from their home-world, all signals abruptly stopped, along with commercial and even military traffic. Although at first this was paid no attention-- what is one world in a sea of billions? More worlds abruptly lost communication. When a major imperial center ceased communication chatter was any sort of preventative measure taken. Initially, fleets were dispatched into the region, yet none seemed to have returned. How could whatever foe they now faced destroy fleets that had unified an entire universe? At the home-world and other systems, panic gripped the populace, leading to widespread rioting and splintering of the vast galactic empire. Finally, one of the key researchers spoke up. He spoke of a technology long ago discovered, but the records of it had been lost until recently. The technology was something that presumably allowed time travel. The researcher theorized that, should a sufficient military force fold backwards in time, past the period of expansion, they would be able to set right and avert the catastrophe, allowing the empire to sustain its existence. Knowing that time was anything but on their side, the plan was enacted. Numerous soldiers were drafted, countless technologies and designs archived for later use of the expedition, and their psychic powers honed to furthering control of time. As galaxy after galaxy was swallowed and destroyed, the expedition slowly neared completion of its preparations for the great leap into the past. By the time all of the defenses surrounding the home-world fell, they were finished. The few soldiers who had been chosen and prepared, perhaps numbering less than a billion, were to be thrown head-first into the past to ensure the survival of the future. When the last vessel defending the home-world had fallen, they had left, to try and stop this foe no matter the cost. And so the Travelers were born, created from the dying ashes of an empire to preserve it and make it sure it rises again. Society and Biology Society As a whole, Traveler society has undergone a schism as to how to combat the future (and the event they refer to as The Collapse). They collectively refer to the future as the yet-- what may happen provided actions are not taken to change it. Many of them believe that the only way to stop this is through trusting only themselves, and scouring the time-stream for clues and hints, no matter the cost to other species. This lack of regard is also in part due to their ability to see how events end, and ultimately every species they encounter will die, if not because of the expansion of their species during the regular time-stream then because of The Collapse. Because of the large (theoretically speaking) period of time, many radical sects and groups exist among the Travelers in terms of outlook and how to stop The Collapse. No Traveler would attack another, recognizing their differences, as they all ultimately seek the same goal. Some see the way to achieve this is through eradication of others and gathering information, while some try to band other species to fight a common foe. A small minority actively test other species, pitting them against the might of the Travelers in order to prove their strength. The smallest minority sees their powers as a tool not for destruction but for searching, and do not change the time-stream save for categorizing what they find and looking through this data to stop the Collapse. Overall, the Traveler mentality is xenophobic, arrogant, and at times omnicidial, but there are notable exceptions at times. They tend to form their own thoughts and ideas, forming different conclusions, but within a group of like-minded people they are very fierce and hard to reckon with. Physiology The average Traveler is usually taller than most humans, particularly should they choose to stand up. In terms of body structure and organs, comparisons can be drawn to avian creatures. They are a digitigrade species, and have a similar articulation and bone structure. Their powerful leg musculature allows them to make powerful leaps and strides. They have three long, articulate fingers, as well as 4 toes that they walk on. Standing up completely straight is possible, but is extremely difficult, as they are not typically meant to move in that manner. They have a somewhat rough, leathery skin that is tinted somewhat blue. One of the most noticeable traits is the bone hooks protruding from their head, particularly near the chin and back of the head. They are warm blooded, and have a fairly basic circulatory system. One of the most interesting traits is another system that runs along the lymphatic and circulatory, which also connects to the cerebellum and the other nerves-- perhaps this is the system that allows them to channel psychic ability. It is suspected that this system was added later with genetic manipulation, and that with proper technology genetic material could be extracted and used on other species. Technology Traveler technology is advanced beyond any true measurement. Pre-Collapse it was beyond compare, with an extremely developed system of manufacturing, as well as weapons and armor reserved for vehicles being mounted by infantry. In addition to this, they had propulsion technology that allowed for crossing the space between galaxies, and communication networks that work at that stage as well. However, Post-Collapse technology has dwindled somewhat. Limited by their resources and some deterioration of the archives, some of the advances made are not available. Despite this, their technology remains extremely advanced, and if anything has regained a measure of its prowess through alternate research. The best example of this is with the efforts undertaken into nanites. Although Pre-Collapse nanites were something easily available and allowed rapid repairs, some of the circuitry and data-files were damaged in the initial jump backwards, making nanite construction a laborous process. The Travelers instead adapted their powers to accelerate this. Perhaps the most notable advance is in construction. With nanite technology hampered and requiring specialized workers, more advances were made into utilizing nanites. The result was a material made from the nanites fusing into one conglomerate mass. The material, called scrith, is very versatile, seeing use in all forms of construction. Thanks to its resilience and strength, the Travelers can regain a measure of their technological pride. Aside from this, the Travelers have not made any major advances. They are still easily technologically superior to most foes, but exception do exist. However, it is difficult to out-perform Travelers from a technological standpoint. Units Acolyte Not usually seen, this represents civilians who may be working alongside combat units or initiates and apprentices to any one of the other Travellers. They lack sophisticated training to utilize many of the unique psychic abilities. Thanks to their mastery of time travel, training is a much shorter process than would normally be possible-- years can be compressed down to days. Hence, Travelers with no profession or purpose are rarely seen. Sentinel The mainstay of the military forces, these soldiers are typically equipped with armor covering a good portion of their body. They wield pulse rifles, a sophisticated alien weapon which projects a magnetic field, containing a series of powerful energy bursts. Although they have short range, they can fire extremely fast and inflict heavy damage, reducing most enemies to molten slag and burnt chunks of flesh. They also have begun their mastery over psychic powers, and are capable of accelerating their actions for a short period of time, giving them inhuman speed and reflexes. Elite Sentinel Like Sentinels, the Elite Sentinels usually are equipped with a pulse rife. However, upgrades are frequent, and it is not uncommon to find an Elite with an improved optical system, cooling rack, or magnetic projector. Their armor also is improved to cover their upper legs, and includes pronged shoulder pads to attune their psychic power. Thanks to this and more advanced training, they possess an ability known as Statis-- briefly freezing an opponent's flow through the time stream, stopping all actions on their part. This power, despite the downside of being unable to harm the opponent while they are stopped, is often what makes the difference in the field of battle. Eradicator Many Elite Sentinels choose to focus their powers towards heavy weaponry. Many of their weapons normally can not function without some degree of mental control-- their heavier weapons are less weapons in the traditional term and closer to conduits of their mental power. One of the weapons seen is the accelerator cannon, which sends a target through their time-stream at a speed beyond their control. Flesh is reduced to dust in mere seconds, while bones quickly fossilize. Against armor, metal rusts and electronics fall into disrepair, reducing an enemy vehicle to worthlessness. Other weapons can fold the fourth dimension, causing wounds of the future to occur in the past. Rarely spoken of is the weaponry capable of removing a target from existence, which alters both past and future entirely. Scribe With only minimal chest armor and a robe, the Scribes can't stand much psychical punishment. Originally tasked with maintaining a record of the history of the Travelers, both past and future, the Scribes are also tasked with construction. Using their nanite staffs, a tool which creates a stream of nanobots from the crystals, they build bases from a material known as scrith. This material is used as the basis for almost all constructions, as well as weapons and armor. It has excellent tensile strength and heat resistance, and can with proper techniques assists in the use of the Traveler's psychic powers. The downside is how long it takes to shape and build with, forcing the Scribes to use accelerate it through sheer force of will, bringing the process of construction to a reasonable time-span. Revenant Walker Even death does not end the service of the Travelers. Encased in sarcophagi of scrith, they are able to sustain their lives. These walkers are used as heavy support, dealing heavy damage to infantry without fear of reprisal. A variety of weapons are used, with the most fearsome being the temporal distortion cannon-- a weapon that briefly creates a damaging space-time anomaly, ripping through the fabric of reality as it hurls foes into utter oblivion. Category:Army